As a hospital administrator, you seek to streamline processes at your facility on an ongoing basis. Your institution likely uses focused studies and seeks complex feedback to make this happen.

But sometimes the easiest fixes are the most effective. Consider these simple, research-driven strategies to make your staff’s jobs easier, increase your patients' satisfaction, save costs, and sharpen your focus. Plus, you can start implementing them immediately.

Use the audit and feedback system concept and enforce it.

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine from lead author Noah Ivers at found that only 28% of all clinicians improved by at least 10% in the quality of care they gave patients after being given advice.

Clearly, you want to implement an effective system that encompasses supervisor reviews on a regular basis, but you also need to encourage your clinicians to listen to their peers, consult their colleagues, and even get advisement from their medical students and residents when it comes to pointing out inconsistent care. Your staff needs to understand that necessary constructive criticism isn't personal, it's essential for safety.

Examine how much red tape you're cutting through.

A study by Physicians for a National Health Program found that Medicare paperwork and insurance red tape ate up $471 billion in a given year, 80% of which was wasted.

So, review how efficient your bulling systems are. Focus your efforts on profitable services and eliminate the unnecessary and redundant. Then, reduce expenses related to ineffective computer systems and seek ways to save time and money wherever possible.

Make sure your barcoding systems are foolproof.

A study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that flawed barcode technology can cause serious patient care issues. Don't take a chance when it comes to barcoding adversely affecting medication, care or HIPAA issues.

Make sure your doctors have time for research.

If your facility is a teaching hospital, allowing your doctors to generate publication data can allow them to use their findings to become much more efficient at meeting patient needs. That, in turn, can lead to higher satisfaction rates.

Give your research physicians the scheduling freedom and resources they need to learn and discover.

Ask questions constantly.

Frequent and detailed patient and staff surveys are essential for determining which processes work and which ones don't. Always stay up to date — and don't hesitate to take all the action you need to!